October 26, 2016

Lit Tidbits


Author: Jade Chang
Published: October 2016
Description: Charles Wang is mad at America. Me too, bruh. He has lost everything due to a financial crisis. His only plan is to remove his two youngest children from school (tuition, be damned), move out of their foreclosed home and temporarily stay with his oldest daughter until he is able to reclaim his ancestral land in China. This novel was recommended everywhere—bookstores, Amazon, online articles, magazines and Goodreads. While there were LOL moments (like when Mr. Wang finagled his daughter's MacBook Pro from college for less than one hundred bucks so she could continue fashion blogging), I was really let down. It passed my 50-Page Rule but I quit about halfway through. A classic case of an overhyped new novel. 

Author: C. Nicole Mason
Published: September 2016
Description: Mason was born in the 1970s in California, raised by a 16-year-old single mother. Early on, she learned how to navigate a volatile home life and excelling in school. She juggled street smarts and book smarts. Eventually she boards a plane to Howard University with only $200 in her pocket. Her path out of poverty is a testimony. I chose this book simply for the cover...love it! The praise for this novel was impressive. The little that I read and skimmed ahead was written very well. I can see how it may motivate black girls. However, I simply was not in the mood for such a memoir. For now, it is set aside for reading at a later date.

Author: Teresa Giudice
Published: February 2016
Description: This book is exactly how its titled. I only read it because a friend gave it to me on a shitty day and said, "it could be worse; you could be a housewife turned inmate." Well thanks friend, because it indeed took my mind off auto-pilot and stress. Although I am familiar with Teresa from watching the Real Housewives of New Jersey, I learned more about her childhood, friendships, Italian background, a couple recipes and her humbling experience in prison. She certainly went from  flipping tables and pushing Andy to being grateful for her family and freedom.

Author: Liane Moriarty
Published: July 2016
Description: Six adults. Three kids. One dog. One backyard BBQ gone wrong. But we don't know exactly what happened until the end of the book. Instead readers are given the aftermath and reactions of the characters as they navigate life "after" the incident. I tend to read books either before release (thanks to publishers and authors), immediately upon publication or wait a few months until the hype dies down. Such was the case for Liane Moriarty's new novel. There was no question whether I would like the book; I just wanted to have a break between reading umpteen rave reviews and my actually reading it. Whew—glad I did! Details I happened upon when reading magazines/reviews were forgotten by the time I got to its pages. Damn good unraveling of a story from multiples points of view. Now I am truly madly sorry I let it sit.

Author: James Napoli
Published: September 2010
Description: I am taking my time reading this sarcastic ass dictionary. I have challenged myself to use (or share in a casual conversation) at least one (1) word in the most sarcastic way possible from every letter of the alphabet. This is fun and pure comedy, bookhearts!

eMagazines: Thanks to Texture, I have unlimited access to all of my favorite magazines for one low price. (Do I sound like an infomercial yet?) So I canceled all of my NOOK eMag subscriptions and am saving tons of dollars. But I am also reading way more magazines now because...why not? They're available! Here are the titles I have saved as auto-download:
  • Billboard
  • Ebony
  • Elle & Elle Decor
  • Entertainment Weekly
  • Entrepreneur
  • Essence
  • Food & Wine
  • Heed Magazine
  • Hollywood Reporter
  • InStyle
  • Interview
  • MacWorld
  • Marie Claire
  • Mother Jones
  • People
  • Real Simple
  • Rolling Stone
  • Time
  • Travel & Leisure
  • Us Weekly
  • Variety
  • Vogue
  • Wine Enthusiast

Happy Reading and Enjoy Lit Tidbits, Bookhearts!

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